It’s a new day, it’s a new dawn in Scotland as some positive news on Covid dominates the front pages on Wednesday.
After Nicola Sturgeon announced on Tuesday that travel across the country would be allowed from Friday and up to six people from six households could meet outside, it brought jubilation for everyone across the country.
‘A new wave of freedom’
The Courier led the way, as its front page hailed the easing of restrictions coming into force.
“Nicola Sturgeon’s surprise announcement yesterday that restrictions on movement will be eased significantly in Scotland from Friday is evidence that society is making real progress in countering Covid,” the paper said.
The Daily Record described the easing this weekend as ‘Freedom Friday’ and the Evening Express in Aberdeen said Scotland was ‘On the Road to Freedom’.
‘Historic health spending advantage almost gone’
The Herald reports Scotland’s massive per capita health spending advantage over England has been almost wiped out since devolution.
The findings were pointed out by the UK’s leading economic thinktank, The Institute for Fiscal Studies.
The report said the gap had shrunk under successive Holyrood governments from 22 per cent in 1999 to 10% in 2009/10 to just 3% in 2019/20.
‘Trident will have to stay in independent Scotland’
The Trident nuclear deterrent would have to remain in the Clyde if Scotland became independent, The Times reports.
The claims come from a former civil servant, Ciaran Martin, who was constitution director at the Cabinet Office between 2011 and 2014, who said the Scottish Government had “no convincing plan for what it intended to do about” the missiles during the campaign for independence.
‘Man charged over death of woman’
The body of Jacqueline Grant, 54, was discovered in her home at 5.25pm on Cumlodden Drive, Maryhill on Tuesday, April 6.
A 46-year-old man has been arrested and charged in connection with Jacqueline’s death.
Stories closer to home…
The Evening Telegraph tells the story of a yob who endangered passers-by and neighbours by launching a series of fireworks out of his living room window.
Christopher Gaffney, 35, filmed himself setting off fireworks across the street and then posted the videos on SnapChat.
Meanwhile, The Courier has revealed there are job fears at Babcock in Rosyth, after the company announced plans to cut 1,000 jobs across the country.
Around 1,700 staff are currently based in Fife.